The therapy has been shown effective in treating other degenerative joint disorders including tendonitis, bursitis and fasciitis
If you live with osteoarthritis, you already know it’s not “just joint pain.” It’s the stiffness that greets you in the morning, the ache that lingers after simple activities, and the frustration of feeling limited by your own body. For millions of people, osteoarthritis slowly chips away at mobility, independence and quality of life—often leaving patients cycling through medications, injections or the looming prospect of surgery.
Now, a new treatment is offering hope for relief. Low-dose radiation therapy (LDRT) is a noninvasive approach that targets painful joints using radiation doses far lower than those used in cancer care. Instead of destroying tissue, the therapy focuses on calming inflammation—the underlying driver of chronic joint pain.
The Center for Cancer Prevention and Treatment at Providence St. Joseph Hospital Orange, recently began offering LDRT as an alternative option for patients living with osteoarthritis and other inflammatory joint conditions. As osteoarthritis becomes more common with age—particularly among adults over 65 and postmenopausal women—this therapy may offer a way to reduce pain, improve movement, and delay or avoid surgery altogether.
“This is an ideal treatment for older patients who are suffering from chronic pain due to inflammation of tissues surrounding the joints (bursa, fascia, tendons or ligaments) and are not responsive to medications, want to delay surgery or are not good candidates for surgery,” says Venita Williams, MD, medical director of radiation oncology at St. Joseph Hospital.
Radiation oncologist Robert Ash, MD, explains that treatment begins with a planning session that includes a CT scan to precisely tailor therapy to the affected joint. Patients typically receive six treatments over the course of two to three weeks, with each session lasting approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
“Treatments are painless and similar to having an X-ray,” he says. “Because the radiation dose is so low, most patients have minimal, if any, side effects and no recovery time.”
Unlike traditional radiation used in cancer treatment, LDRT does not aim to destroy cells. Instead, it works by decreasing inflammation and modulating the immune response that contributes to chronic joint pain. While some patients notice improvement soon after treatment, the full benefits may develop gradually over several weeks or months. Treatment can be repeated if symptoms return.
In addition to osteoarthritis, LDRT has shown effectiveness in treating other inflammatory conditions affecting the tissues around joints, including tendonitis, bursitis, and psoriatic arthritis. Clinical studies demonstrate that many patients experience meaningful pain relief—often lasting a year or longer—along with improved mobility and overall quality of life.
“After treatment, patients experience a decrease in inflammation in their joints and pain relief,” says radiation oncologist Tanuja Bhandari, MD. “They are able to exercise and do daily activities that were previously difficult or impossible, like walking, knitting and swimming.”
For patients with osteoarthritis and additional health concerns such as obesity, LDRT may also play a role in surgical preparation.
“For osteoarthritis patients with other medical issues like obesity, ‘LDRT could be applied to reduce or control pain so the patient can begin exercising, lose weight and build strength before surgery,’” says Dr. Williams.
Dr. Ash shares an example from one of the program’s early patients, who was treated for calcific tendonitis in the shoulder. After completing therapy, “not only did she have subjective improvement in pain, she had a measurable objective response with the disappearance of her calcific deposit,” he says.
Dr. Bhandari notes that the team is currently treating a competitive swimmer for shoulder bursitis. “We hope that after six treatments are completed, he will be able to actively compete in races again,” she says. “We just started the program in 2025 and have had excellent results so far.”
Patients interested in learning whether low-dose radiation therapy may be appropriate for managing osteoarthritis or other inflammatory joint conditions are encouraged to contact (714) 734-6207 to schedule a consultation.
